A Method to Estimate the Dietary α-Linolenic Acid Requirement Using Nonesterified DHA and Arachidonic Acid Oxylipins and Fatty Acids.

Background: The dietary requirement for α-linolenic acid (ALA) remains unclear, as evidenced by the absence of a Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for this essential fatty acid (FA). In previous studies, we observed that the amount of dietary ALA required to maximize nonesterified (NE) DHA oxylipins appears to be higher than the amount required to maximize tissue esterified DHA, which have classically been used to estimate the ALA requirement. Further, we observed that dietary ALA reduces esterified arachidonic acid (ARA) and its NE oxylipins.

Phospholipase A enzymes differently impact PUFA release and oxylipin formation ex vivo in rat hearts.

Phospholipase A (PLA) enzymes cleave cell membrane phospholipids and release polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which can be converted into oxylipins. However, little is known about PLA preference for PUFA, and even less is known about how this further impacts oxylipin formation. Therefore, we investigated the role of different PLA groups in PUFA release and oxylipin formation in rat hearts.